PHILADELPHIA — The Chicago Bears announced their arrival as legitimate NFC contenders Friday night, dismantling the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles 24-15 at Lincoln Financial Field. In the process, they exposed a franchise in serious trouble.

The Bears did it the old-fashioned way: 281 rushing yards and a suffocating defense that held Philadelphia to just 317 total yards—121 of which came in the final six minutes when the game was already decided.

Bears' Ground Game Mirrors Former Lions Dominance

The new Bears coaching staff, led by former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, has replicated Detroit's blueprint with remarkable speed. Johnson has assembled a two-pronged rushing attack that proved devastatingly effective against a Eagles defense ranked third in rushing defense at 115.1 yards per game.

D'Andre Swift, the former Eagles back, rushed 22 times for 130 yards. Seventh-round rookie Kyle Monangai from Rutgers complemented him with pure power, carrying defenders five-plus yards downfield on multiple plays despite his modest 5-foot-8, 208-pound frame. Together, they accumulated 129 yards in the first half alone.

The contrast with the Eagles' offense couldn't be starker. Offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo appears unable to replicate the success of his predecessor Kellen Moore, a problem Philadelphia faced two years ago when Brian Johnson took over as coordinator.

The passing game looks anemic. Jalen Hurts completed just 19 of 34 passes for 230 yards in windy conditions, and his receivers—including elite targets A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert—rarely found separation downfield. Only one Eagles drive resembled their championship form: a third-quarter scoring march that went 92 yards in five plays and 1:54.

"This team, this offense, is way too talented to look as dysfunctional and low-powered as the Eagles currently look."

Saquon Barkley's Collapse Is Alarming

The star running back has cratered after an extraordinary 2,000-yard season. Barkley rushed for just 56 yards Friday, putting him at 740 for the season—a pace that would yield only 1,048 yards. More alarming: he's posted just one game with more than 100 yards all season.

Excluding a 150-yard performance against the Giants, Barkley is averaging a measly 53.6 yards across 11 games.

While the offensive line shares blame—Barkley is averaging just 2.3 yards before contact, down 1.5 yards from last season—the Eagles have compounded the problem by underutilizing him. In a tight game, Philadelphia gave Barkley the ball just 13 times on 51 plays. His talent warrants more volume to establish rhythm.

Caleb Williams Flashing Star Potential

The Bears' rookie quarterback has visibly improved under Johnson's tutelage, displaying better pocket presence and decision-making. His persistent weakness remains accuracy.

Williams completed only 17 of 36 passes Friday despite possessing sufficient arm strength for any throw. He has a tendency to overthrow, suggesting he doesn't fully control his power. His completion rate exceeded 60% just once in his last nine starts.

When dialed in, however, Williams is lethal—witness his 28-yard touchdown pass to Cole Kmet that sealed the victory in the fourth quarter. At 24 years old in just his second NFL season, Williams appears poised to become elite once his accuracy matches his arm talent. When it does, the Bears will be formidable.

The Road Ahead

The Bears (9-3) now lead the NFC North and sit just half a game behind the Rams for the conference's top seed. Their path gets treacherous: consecutive matchups with the Packers (8-3-1) next Sunday in Green Bay and December 20 in Chicago, with a home game against the Browns (3-8) sandwiched between.

The Eagles have lost two straight and cling to a one-game cushion over the Cowboys in the NFC East. They face the Chargers in Los Angeles on Monday night after a lengthy week to regroup.

The consolation: Philadelphia's remaining schedule is relatively forgiving, featuring the Raiders (2-9), a home-and-home with the Commanders (3-8), and a late-December trip to Buffalo (7-4). The Eagles retain a legitimate path back to form—but time is running short.